Trim panel and method of making the same



ri 24, Q C. J, vDAVIES SS-S TRIM PANEL AND METHOD oF MAKING THE SAMEOriginal Filed Sept. 23, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q N JI 2 P PEG.. P

H m/VENoR.l

VCLARENCE J. nAvnEs mami/#AMM ATTORN EYS pr 24, i951 -c. .1. DAviEs i2550,45

` TRIM PANEL AND' METHOD 0F MAKING THE SAME Original Filed Sept. 25,1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CLARENCE J. DAVIES WW Aamfiaw ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1951 2,550,455laf d l "ERIM PANEL AND METHOD F MAKING THE SAME ClarenceY J. Davies,Detroit, Mich., assignor to National Automotive Fibres,

Inc., Detroit, Y

Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application September 23,1946, Serial i Divided and this application March 8, 1948, Serial No.14,022

The invention relates to trim panels designed for use on walls and doorsto impart an ornamental finish thereto. More particularly, the inventionrelates to that type of structure comprising a body portion ofimpregnated fibers anda fabric covering forthe 'external surface thereoffashioned with the desired ornamental design. The instant application isa division of my pending application for Patent Serial No. 698,669Vfiled September 23, 1946, issued May 14, 1950, as Patent No. 2,500,895.

7 Claims. (Cl. 154-116) construction may be formed of sisal fiber withIt'ilis Vthe object of the invention to obtain a structure of this typehaving improved characteristics and more particularly in theconstruction of the border or edge portion of the panel.

It is a further object to improve and simplify the method of formingsuch structure and with these objects in view the inventionV consists,first, in the improved panel; and, second, in the method of forming thesame as more'fully hereinafter set forth. i

While the claimsin the instant application are I confinedto thepanel'and the method of'forming the same, I have for greater clarityincluded a description of apparatus which may be :used in carrying outthe method." Y

In the drawings: y

Fig. 1 is an elevation of atrim panel which specifically forms theinterior finish for an automobile door;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3V is a sectional elevation showing a portion of the press togetherwith the rams `and dies for Y forming the panel; and

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7 are enlarged sections of a portion of Fig. 3illustrating the sequence of operations in the forming of the reinforcededge portion of the panel.'

In the general process of forming trim panels, of the type abovereferred to, abat or layer ofV loose fibers together with a fabric coveron one yments A2 *and `A3 formed of parallel horizontalV any suitablethermo-setting binding agent.

, The construction as above described will have a fabric finished facebut with unfinished 4edge portions. It is, therefore, arprimary objectof my invention to obtain a finished edge or borderA portion which iscompletely covered by the fabric and which also forms a reinforcing andstrengthening element of the panel. It is afurther object to accomplishthis edge lforming operation substantially simultaneouslywith theoperation for forming the body portion of the panel.

The specific panelrillustrated in Fig. 1 has a substantially fiat bodyportion A providedrwith a central circular ornament Af formed ofparallel circular grooves, and top and bottom ornagrooves. Completelysurrounding the panel is a border bead A4 which generally is formed asfol-4 lows. 4.The panel blank is first ,cut to slightly larger'dimensions than those of the finished panel.V The edge portion on eachside is returnV bent to bring the fabric cover around and beneath thesame, and said return bent portion is then subjected to` greaterpressure to further densify the fiber filling. This method is preferablyauto-T matically carried out in apparatus of the followor both sidesthereof is placed.. between heated dies in a press and subjected toVhigh compression.

This will compact the fibers which have a binding Vmaterial commingledtherewith and, while still retained under pressure, a curing is effectedwhich permanently binds the fibers to each other and to the fabriccover. "The desired design or ornamentation is produced by the shape ofthe dies, so that after curing has been accomplished a substantiallyrigid ornamental panel is formed.

Various fibers may be used for the body material` and alsovariousbindirig "agents such as,`for example, phenol formaldehyde, ureaformaldehyde or other synthetic resins.` However, one specific ingconstruction.

Apparatus B and B are upright frame members of a press and C and D areupper and lower rams movable toward and from each other. Between theserams is a cross-member-E of the frame on which is supported an annularbed-plate F having its iny ner contour corresponding to the form of thetrim panel. Within the member F is a die member G and between themembers F and G is an annular die member H, having a bottom portion-V H'extending beneath but separated from the die Amember G. Springs Iyieldably support the die member G on the bottom H so as to be normallyfiush with the bed H. An upper die J is secured to the ram C and hasprojecting downward therefrom the cutting blades K for trimming theblank to the desiredcontour. This, however, is larger? than the inneredge of the bed. member F to provide material for the return bend. Theborder portion of the die member J is formed as more".V

clearly illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 and in- --cludes a grooveportion J extending obliquely` into the die above the general plane ofthe panel,- and which overlaps the bed member F. A re-S turn bendportion J2 is formed preferably in a separate plate J3, which latter hasfiange extending downward below the die J and has its inner periphery inline with that of the bed member F and the outer edge of the die memberH. Thus, together the portions J and J2 of the die members J and J3 forma bead cavity for the return bent portion of the panel. Between thelower ram D and the bottom portion H of the die member I-I are pins Lwhich during the operation of the press will raise the die member H andthrough the medium of the springs I will also raise the die member G.

Operation In the operation of the apparatus above described, the fiberbat is laid upon the lower die member G to extend beyond the same overthe annular bed member F and the cover M, which may be either wovenfabric or felt, is placed on top `of the bat. 'Ihe rst operation is thedescent of the upper ram (the operating mechanism for the rams not beingillustrated) which presses down the blade member K to cut both the coverand the ber bat to the proper contour. The lower ram is then raised, thelupper ram remainingstationary, and through the medium of the pins L diemembers H and G are raised. Inasmuch as the border portion of the blankextends over the bed member F and beneath the die member J3, thisportion will be bent downward when the die member G is raised tocompress the fibers against the upper die member J. This initialmovement of the die member G is accomplished without materiallycompressing the springs I, but as the resistance due to the compressionof the fibers increases the springs L will be compressed so that theannular die member H will be moved upward relative to the die member Gand will engage the downturned portion of the blank. This portion willthen be forced upward against the oblique face J which cams it outwardinto the bead cavity formed by the portions J and J2. As this cavityextends outward beyond the inner contour of the die member J3, it willproduce a complete return bend in the border portion of the blank. Also,the compression pressure exerted on this border portion will be greaterthan that exerted by the die member G so that the fibers in this portionof the blank will be further densified. After the completions of theoperations of the rams, the dies G, J and J3 will remain stationary inrelation to each other while the curing of the blank is effected. Thisis preferably accomplished by heat. To this end, the die members G and Jare heated preferably by members O and P, respectively, adjacentthereto, which members are provided with passages for receiving steam orother fluid heating means. The pressure and the heat are'continued untilthe blank is completely cured after which the rams are retracted and thecompleted panel removed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A trim panel comprising a compressed bonded ber body having a fabriccover on the outer face thereof, the margin of said panel being formedwith an outwardly projecting enlarged bead having the fabric coverextending around and beneath the same and adhering thereto.

2. A trim panel comprising a compressed fiber body bonded with asynthetic resin and having a fabric cover on one face thereof adheredthereto by said resin, the margin of said panel being formed with anenlarged bead having the fabric cover extending around the same andhaving a more highly compressed ber core.

3. In a method of forming trim panels comprising compressing a blankcomposed of a fiber bat impregnated with an uncured binding agent and afabric cover on one face thereof and curing the same while undercompression; the step of cutting a blank of larger dimensions than theiinished panel, bending a marginal portion of said blank to form atransversely extending flange with its outer face within the finisheddimension of the panel and in applying end pres sure against said flangeand simultaneously camming outward the portion thereof adjacent to thebend to form a return bend constituting an enlarged bead with the fabriccover extending around the same, said end pressure being sufficient tomore highly densify the fibers of said bead.

4. A trim panel comprising a compressed bonded sisal iiber body having afabric cover on the outer face thereof, the margin of said panel beingformed with an enlarged outwardly projecting bead having the fabriccover return bent around the same and adhering thereto.

5. A trim panel comprising a compressed sisal fiber body bonded with athermo-setting agent and having a fabric cover on the outer facethereof, the margin of said panel being formed with an enlargedoutwardly projecting beadhand having the fabric cover return bentaroundl'the same and adhering thereto.

6. A trim panel comprising a compressed bonded vegetable fiber bodyhaving a fabric cover on the outer face thereof, the margin of saidpanel being formed with an enlarged outwardly projectngbead having thefabric cover return bent around the same and adhering thereto.

7. In a method of forming trim panels comprising compressing a blankcomposed of a fiber bat impregnated with a thermo-setting bonding agentand a fabric cover on one face thereof, and heating while undercompression to effect a curing; the step of cutting a blank of largerdimension than the finished panel, bending a marginal portion of saidblank to form a transversely extending flange 'with its outer facesmaller in dimension than the finished dimension of the panel, applyingend pressure against said flange* while permitting a controlled amountof outward expansion whereby the bend will be changed into a return bendwith the fabric cover extending around the same.

CLARENCEE J. DAVIES.

REFERENCEs vOrrin) The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

